1,173 tests in 2025
BMW M6 reliability and MOT pass rate
89.3% passed first time. The 10.7% fail rate is 11.9 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 11 years old with 57,151 miles.
Pass rate
89.3%
22.6% of all cars failed; 10.7% of these did.
Fixed on the day
1.3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
57,151 mi
11 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 359 | 11.1% |
| 10-13 years | 521 | 10.2% |
| 14+ years | 293 | 10.9% |
What the M6 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Tyres67 dangerous49.6%
- Visibility17.6%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous14.4%
- Suspension14.4%
- Brakes8 dangerous12.8%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment2 dangerous12%
- Identification of the vehicle4%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems2.4%
Is the M6 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.3 points to 10.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,429 | 8 | 9.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,370 | 9 | 11.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,094 | 10 | 11.2% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,173 | 11 | 10.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical M6 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a M6 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Condition: has ply or cords exposed29 tests
- 2Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords19 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm11 tests
- 4Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively10 tests
- 5Coil spring: fractured or broken10 tests
- 6Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid6 tests
- 7Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits5 tests
- 8Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure5 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical M6 collects 2.27 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm108 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened74 tests
- 3Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded41 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure37 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick31 tests
- 6Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn26 tests
- 7Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre21 tests
- 8Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine19 tests
Questions
What is the BMW M6 MOT pass rate?
89.3% of the 1,173 BMW M6 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 10.7% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 1.3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW M6 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Condition: has ply or cords exposed", recorded on 29 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, tyres appears in 49.6% of failures, visibility appears in 17.6% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 14.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 10.9%. The median BMW M6 tested in 2025 was 11 years old with 57,151 miles.
Is the BMW M6 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.3 points to 10.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every M6 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular M6?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.